Be Kind to Elsen
by Bukkunkun
Summary: It wasn't so much as the amount of the depressed-looking Elsens all around them that bothered him more than all the staring his Player did at all of them as they walked by. Light Batterie.


It wasn't so much as the amount of the depressed-looking Elsens all around them that bothered him more than all the staring his Player did at all of them as they walked by. Sure, the ambushes by the Spectres distracted him long enough to take his mind off things, but the incessant halting steps his Player made echoed loudly around his head like they were all alone in a long corridor.

"Could you stop doing that? Please?" he finally asked, stopping fully to look down at his Player in a chastising manner, and they stopped beside him, looking up at him with confused eyes, Epsilon shuffling to float behind them (it had always done so when they found it; Epsilon had somehow always preferred staying near the Player rather than its fellow Add-Ons), glowing curiously.

"Doing what?" they asked, shrugging as Alpha and Omega floated behind the Batter to stay out of the way.

"The staring, the stopping—I don't know, are you hesitating about something?" the Batter asked, crossing his arms, frowning down at his Player. For a moment, all they could do was blink at them, before realisation dawned on their face and an embarrassed flush crossed their cheeks.

"Oh, so you noticed."

"I tend to, seeing as you're my Player and I have to take care of you." The Batter deadpanned, and his Player frowned, before raising their hand and waving it once across their face. The Batter's hand followed half-limply like a puppet on strings and he hit himself on his left cheek. The Batter rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Very mature, Player."

"I don't like getting coddled," they simply stated, but then they looked away from him to the far end of the corridor, where there was a lone Elsen standing near his room, a sullen expression on his face. The Batter cocked his head, looking there as well, before looking down at his Player expectantly for an explanation. They looked back at him with a similar expectant face, but upon seeing his own expectant look, they sighed, exasperated, and shook their head. "Do I really _have_ to explain it?"

"I'm not the omnipresent one."

The Player shot him a sarcastic look, and he smirked at them, but they quickly turned back to address the Elsen they were looking at. "It's just that… they're so sad. The Elsens."

"Aren't they all?"

The Player scowled at him, but he gestured at them to continue. "Well, fine, they are, but… that one over there? By his room?" they gestured at the Elsen, who now was sitting on the ground by himself, curled up into a ball with his head resting on his arms. "He's… well, he's crying."

"And?"

The Player rolled their eyes. "God, Batter, you don't have a sense of remorse, do you?" they deadpanned, shaking their head. "I… I just want to… well…"

The Batter smiled at this—grateful for the kindness that seemed innate in his Player. He heavily patted their shoulder, sighing fondly. "So go talk to him already. Might as well get this over with."

The Player chuckled at him, shaking their head, before jogging over to where the Elsen was. They frowned upon seeing his thin shoulders shaking and light whimpers floated to their ears. Gently, they knelt down beside the Elsen and lightly stroked their hair. Immediately the Elsen straightened up, shocked, but they simply smiled at them. "Hi," they greeted, "What's the matter, little fella?"

"I… I…" the Elsen's eyes flicked left and right, and the Player cocked their head—turning it to see a spectre wandering around with a packet of sugar in its hands. The Player's eyes widened in realisation.

"Batter,_ darling_?"

His Player's voice calling him that and turning sickly sweet made the Batter groan in exasperation. Shaking his head, he looked at where his Player was looking at—only to see the spectre floating merrily away with the bag of sugar in its hands. His glare hardened at it and he turned to look at his Player.

"No." he firmly declared, "We've got a Zone to purify."

"And you've got a tactician who wants to cheer an Elsen up. C'mon, it's just a tiny side quest, okay? I'll drop it when this is all over. Just purify that particular spectre and let me have its sugar for lil' Elsen here?" His Player grinned, and the Batter rolled his eyes. "I don't have to ask you, you know."

There was a light tug at his legs, and the Batter glared at his Player. "… Fine."

His Player grinned brightly, giving him a thumbs-up, as he shook his head and pulled his bat out. Behind him, Alpha, Omega and Epsilon moved out behind him, flanking his sides, at the ready to attack.

Quickly, with the Player coordinating their attacks and Competence, they made short work of the spectre—with unexpected results.

The moment Alpha tackled into the spectre's body, it faded into non-existence—but not without it digging its nails into the packet of sugar, making it pop and sending the granules of the condiment flying all over the place.

"O-oh, my Gosh, I'm so sorry," the Player blurted out, turning to apologise to the Elsen, who smiled at them apologetically.

"N-no, it's… hhhh… it's okay." He replied dejectedly, "Thank you for trying anyway… hhhh…" they turned to address the Batter, smiling at him (though it was more of a sad little upward quirk of the left corner of his lips) as reassuringly as he could. "… Thank you… hhhh… Mr. Batter…"

The laboured breathing of the Elsen was unsettling, really, to him, but somehow the sound of his weak voice and asthmatic breathing sent a wave of pity rushing through him. He could hear his Player talking reassuringly to the Elsen, but he knew that really, the only way to calm them down was to give them sugar—which, currently, they did not have, but he knew where to get some.

"Wait here," he abruptly told his Player, earning him a surprised glance from them, as they stood up to protest. "Just do it," he told them, stopping them with a hand, before turning around. "I'll fix this."

The Player, wide-eyed, blinked in shock and confusion as they watched the Batter walk away, Alpha and Omega in tow, as behind them Epsilon stayed back in case the Player ran into trouble. Eventually, though, his words sank in and they realised what the Batter was about to do. A warm smile crossed their face, and they sat back down next to the Elsen, who was looking up at them with a confused, worried expression, but they smiled back at him.

"Don't worry;" the Player assured, "I know the Batter—if he says he'll fix it, and then he will." They chuckled, before gently letting the Elsen rest his head on their shoulder as they sat on the floor against the wall, pressed together as they watched the other Elsens walk by, all just as sullen as the next.

* * *

He had cut down so many spectres in his journey back to the kitchen, it was ridiculous. The Batter had been sent to the entrance of the entire area so many times it was getting too annoying to even bother with all the spectres hanging around the area. The Player had the paper with the clues in it, not him, damn it, why was he so _stupid_ to rush out without as much as a second thought; and with only _two_ of three Add-Ons, he was also a man (ring?) short.

"Having trouble, Batter?" Zacharie's smooth voice called over to him, and the Batter scowled at the merchant standing at the kitchen door.

"None at all," the Batter replied, but then he made a misstep, and he was once again plunged into an ambush against a group of spectres. Zacharie watched on coolly, patiently waiting for the Batter to finish off his enemies, and with a cheeky wave, chuckled at the sight of the Batter's 'not-fucking-funny' look at him just as he was teleported back outside. Calmly, Zacharie looked down at his wrist, pretending a watch was there as he whistled pleasantly—

And the sound of the Batter stomping his way back through the area met his ears, and he laughed.

"I can give you help for a hundred credits," Zacharie offered, but the Batter glared at him and said nothing to him as he carefully treaded across tiles towards the merchant. "Where's your Player? I thought they were the one taking care of this."

"I can manage," the Batter replied instead, and he made a move to go forward—only to be blocked by Alpha, who was vigorously protesting his move. He blinked at it for a moment, and he realised they were helping him through the maze-like area. Nodding at them, he continued onwards, the Add-Ons stopping him if he was about to make a misstep as Zacharie looked on with an air of amusement around him. When the Batter managed to approach him, he gestured for the man to follow him in, where a large bag of sugar was waiting for him on the counter.

"Here you go," Zacharie pleasantly told him, gesturing at the bag.

The Batter made a move to take it—but then he hesitated. "… Wait, no credit holdbacks? No strings attached?"

Zacharie chuckled. "Why should there be?"

The Batter crossed his arms. "I don't know; you tell me."

The merchant laughed, shaking his head. "Ah, Batter, Batter." He fondly cooed, "I know I don't run charities, and as far as I know, this bag wasn't even mine, so what right do I have to sell it to you?" he asked, taking the bag in one hand and presenting it to the Batter with a flourish. "Go on."

Wary, the Batter took it slowly, but Zacharie stayed still as he did, even as he backed out of the kitchen, still eyeing him.

"Go on," Zacharie repeated, and the Batter turned to leave—but then he turned back to look at Zacharie.

"Thank you." He simply said, before running outside and back into the maze.

Left alone in the room, Zacharie stood alone, awkwardly rubbing his arm as a goofy grin spread across his face beneath his mask as his cheeks grew hot.

"You're welcome." He whispered, "And have I mentioned how cute you look being charitable, dear Batter?"

* * *

"You're back," the Player smiled as they saw the Batter enter the Elsen's room. They and the Elsen had now moved to sitting on his bed in complete, comfortable silence while they waited. Beside the Player, the Elsen's eyes widened in delight at the sight of the large bag of sugar in the Batter's hands.

"Is that… hhhhhh… for me?"

The Batter nodded, gently putting the bag down on the Elsen's side table. "All of it." he said, patting the Elsen's hair. "You'd better enjoy that, alright?"

The Elsen smiled brightly, an expression neither the Batter nor his Player had ever seen on an Elsen, and he hugged each of them in turn, the Player laughing brightly and the Batter awkwardly standing after the hug.

"Right, we got to go." The Player jabbed a thumb over their shoulder, smiling one last time at the Elsen before walking outside. The Batter lagged behind to see the Elsen still smiling at them happily, clutching the bag of sugar and hugging it close, tears running his cheeks.

"Don't cry, alright?" the Batter softly told the Elsen, easily picking them up (earning him a surprised squeak) and planted a soft kiss on their forehead, hushing him quickly as he carried the Elsen to their bed and put them down gently. "Goodnight."

"Good night." The Elsen laughed weakly, "And thank you, so much."

The Batter flashed him a slight smile. "… You're welcome."

* * *

"Sooo. Mind telling me what all that was about?" the Player grinned at the Batter as they sat together in the empty monorail, the train speeding towards Area 2.

"What what was all about?"

"Earlier. The sugar thing."

"It was you controlling me, of course. Don't deny that."

"Well, kind of," the Player snickered, "I ran you through all those times in the maze just to piss you off."

"I knew it."

"Of course, when we both got fed up, I had the Onion Rings help you out."

"Knew it."

"I didn't talk to Zacharie about the sugar thing, though." The Player tapped their chin in thought. "It was weird he'd just give that to you that easily, though."

The Batter frowned in thought, but then the Player clapped their hands.

"But! That's not what I'm talking about." They grinned. "'Good night'? You did all that on your own, buddy."

The Batter avoided their eyes, and they laughed brightly, pinching his side lightly.

"Have I mentioned how cute you look being charitable, dear Batter?" they grinned at him, and he shrugged them off, smirking slightly in embarrassment.

But then, he felt odd, like that phrase had already been told to him before…


End file.
